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Post subject: DIY Tapped Pups - A bit of a let down
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 12:35 am
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Location: Manchester UK
I'm currently putting a seriously budget partscaster together (I've got loads of bits hanging around doing nothing), so I decided to wind my own set of tapped pups - partly out of curiosity and partly due to the fact that no one seems to do them... now I think I know why.

I've used standard plastic bobbins with alnico 3 slugs and 44 instead of 43 AWG poly coated wire, to accommodate the extra windings.

The DC resistances are - Neck 5.6k/8.7k - Mid 5.5k/8.7k (RWRP) - Bridge 6.8k/9.8k. The taps are selected via push/pull switches on the vol and two tone pots.

Now, here's the thing - the pups with the "standard" low K tap sound seriously good considering they were thrown together, but there's very little difference with the full windings switched in - maybe a bit more low/mid coming through, but not enough to make me think "Wow, these are hot!"

So, generally, I'm wondering if I did anything wrong? Has anybody out there got tapped coils in their Strat, and what do you think of them?

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Post subject: Re: DIY Tapped Pups - A bit of a let down
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 9:33 am
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I'm by no means an electronics expert, but let's get the topic rolling... (I really should put that sentence as my signature) :wink:

My experiences/conclusions in pickup winding in general are sorta like yours. IMHO, DIY pups go well with cigarbox style guitars etc; but for a Strat, never again.

On the tapped/full on lack of difference, I believe it's because your full pups just ain't hot enough to make the difference radical.
You probably have read this: Matt Perkins on SD; Tapping...
He names a favorite pickup for tapping, SD SSL-5 - and that's a 13.3 DCR...
I know the hotness isn't all about kΩ's, but you get my drift.


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Post subject: Re: DIY Tapped Pups - A bit of a let down
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 11:30 am
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Thanks for the info - Luckily, and with a bit of care, I can always add to the coil. I may give it a try, maybe up to the SSL-5's 13k, there's plenty of room left on the bobbins.

I'm pretty sure that'll make a difference.

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Post subject: Re: DIY Tapped Pups - A bit of a let down
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 12:56 pm
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Rock Star
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Another (or additional to more winding) option would be to go AlNiCo5, but only if you built the pickup so the polepieces can be switched.

I wish you luck, and keep posting the results.


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